Shortaki Week
by Mouse9
Summary: My contributions to Shortaki Week. All stories are primarily Arnold and Helga written with the prompt of the day. Ratings range from T (the first one) to G.
1. Standing Up

**I'm a bit late. Truth told, I knew it was coming but forgot until Tumblr started getting flooded. So here are the first four days...a wee bit late.**

 **As always, thanks to Craig Bartlett and Snee-Oosh for letting us play in their playground.**

 **So without any further ado: Day One- Growing Pains**

* * *

This puberty thing was just ridiculous. And frustrating, don't forget frustrating.

He'd been lucky enough that most of what his grandmother noted as "growing into manhood" had happened during the summer. Unknown pains in his bones from shooting up two clothing sizes and three shoe sizes in three months, hair suddenly appearing in places that had been smooth the week before, his voice sounding like he had just gone through a bad cold; constantly cracking and changing. His underarms sweating, taking constant showers because he always felt dirty and sweaty.

He felt horrible; his emotions swinging from frustration because he was perfectly fine with the body he had at the beginning of the summer, thank you very much, why the hell did all this crap have to happen in a ninety-day period- to feeling absolutely horrible because his grandparents had to buy him new clothes and shoes twice. His grandmother had the foresight the second time to buy everything an extra size and a half larger. His clothes were baggy and his shoes were too big the second time exactly forty-five days before everything suddenly fit just right.

Most of all, he was angry. Angry that he didn't have anyone with whom he could talk to about this. His Dad was God knows where in South America instead of here explaining to him exactly why he needed hair in his nose or why his voice seemed to crack at the most inopportune time. Or why in God's name the damn bed was sticky when he woke up. He knew what it was, he had the internet, but having his Dad **here** to talk to about these things would have been great.

Logically, he knew that he'd chosen to come back to the States, and that his parents had to remain "just a while longer" but he was going through puberty, he was allowed to be moody and petulant. And as much as he loved his grandparents, there was absolutely no way in the world he was going to talk about this stuff with his grandmother.

They were about seven days before the beginning of the new school year when his body finally decided that it was taking a break from rapid physical changes. His hormones calmed down, his body stopped doing weird things and suddenly deciding to spurt up another foot, his chemical balance evened out, the storm had passed.

The storm had passed leaving him a foot taller, fifty pounds heavier and an octave lower. Gerald's dad had taken pity on him one summer afternoon and taught him how to shave so he no longer looked ragged. Things were looking up.

Three days before school, his grandmother knocked on his bedroom door.

"Come in," he called out, still not quite used to his new voice. The door opened and his grandmother walked into the room carrying a large shopping bag full of new button down shirts.

"For school." She announced as she placed the bag on the bed. Arnold upended the bag and went through the shirts.

"Thanks Grandma. But I'm not sure if button downs are going to be my style anymore."

She placed a hand on his chest and peered up at him, her eyes wise.

"Trust me Kimba." Her voice was steady and sane. "You can always take it off after school but always wear one."

He smiled, a hand reaching up to cover hers. "Okay Grandma. I promise."

Grandma Gertie was a psychic.

* * *

His first day of school began normally; he got dressed, wearing one of the button downs his grandmother had bought him, pick up breakfast and met Gerald at the bus stop and arrived at school

And then it all went to hell.

It seemed the girls had all gone through puberty also.

He didn't recognize some of his classmates, sometimes having to take a second look when someone waved to him or greeted him in the hallways.

They were walking down a side hall discussing Rhonda, who they'd just seen holding court in the main hallway and looking damn good, according to Gerald, when Gerald suddenly froze in the middle of the hallway, causing Arnold to run into the back of him.

"Man, warn a guy when you suddenly stop, would ya?"

Gerald's response was a strangled squeak. Arnold stepped around him and his eyes widened.

Standing by an open locker was Phoebe. The young girl had spent her summer in Japan with her paternal grandparents so nobody had seen her the entire summer. She looked a few inches taller, her body was thin and willowy, her dark hair was up in two artfully messy buns on her head. She wore bright orange leggings and an oversized neon orange and pink anime cat shirt. In short, she looked amazing.

"Wow," Was all Arnold said.

"I can't go over there," Gerald squeaked out. Arnold gave him an incredulous look.

"Gerald, it's Phoebe. I mean yeah, she looks great but it's ju…s…t…"

His voice trailed off as the blond Amazon on the other side of the open locker straightened and slammed the locker door.

Helga Pataki had also disappeared over the summer, to her grandparents it was rumored, and had come back with the puberty gods smiling down on her.

And, damn, was he ever going to be taller than her?

His eyes widened and he froze in the exact same spot as Gerald, understanding for the first time why Gerald refused to move.

It seemed as if puberty was not quite finished with him yet.

Every nerve ending seemed to be electrified, his skin felt tender and…

His pants had suddenly grown a size too small.

He panicked, taking a step backwards into the small side hallway, grabbing Gerald's arm as he slunk back. There was no way in hell he could go out there…and face Helga…with his body doing THAT!

"Dude, my Dad didn't warn me about this!" Gerald's voice had reverted for a moment to his summer pubescent crackle and squeak.

Arnold chanced a look down at his own covered body, terrified at how bad it was going to look, because it felt pretty damn bad, like if he took a step out into the hallway **everyone** would know.

The shirt.

The oversized button down shirt his Grandmother has bought for him and that he had worn was long enough that the bottom of the shirt covered the entire zipper area of his jeans. Nothing was visible, he wasn't sending a signal to everyone in Hillwood High _everyone look at the perv who can't keep it in his pants, we all know what_ _ **he's**_ _thinking._

He let out a relieved _Whoosh_ falling against the wall. Gerald was digging in his book bag, trying to find a folder or book, something to hold in front of him. He glared up at the still giddy Arnold.

"Let me borrow your shirt, man."

"Hell no, I need it!" Arnold hissed back.

"What are you two doing?"

Gerald yelped, almost falling over his book bag. Arnold looked over at Helga and Phoebe who were standing just outside the hallway, giving them both odd looks.

"Hey, how was your summer?" Arnold greeted both girls giving Gerald time to organize his stuff and attempt to get under control.

"Very educational." Phoebe brushed a piece of hair from her face as she talked and behind him, Arnold heard another strangled squeak.

"Oh for the love of Pete!" Helga whipped off the gray zip up hoodie she was wearing revealing a thin "Evil Twin" tee shirt, and tossed the jacket to Gerald. "Give it back to me at the end of the day and for Pete's sake, get a grip, man!"

Arnold choked. Where had **those** come from? Phoebe was studying the ceiling, her face a shade of pink.

Helga looked at Arnold and gave him a quick once over. At that moment, he mentally thanking his grandmother and how she just **knew**.

"You got a little taller football head." She grinned and he swore he was never not going to be without another button down for the rest of his teenaged years. "But I'm still taller than you."

Relaxing now that he was comfortable enough to know that nobody would see any problems he might have, he pushed off the wall just as Gerald stood up, Helga's hoodie now strategically tied around his waist, and shouldered Helga's arm.

"Maybe, but guys keep growing long after girls stop."

"Keep telling yourself that Arnoldo,"

He may have never said anything to his grandparents, but as always, his Grandmother just **knew**. He owed her an extra hug when he got home from school.


	2. Last Chance

**Day two prompt is Out of time:**

* * *

 _They're at the W's,_ she thought as names were being read, mentally doing the math. _Only twenty more minutes left and then no more High School. No more dealing with these yahoos in the hallways anymore, no more begging for grades rightfully deserved because the teacher has a chip on their shoulder, no more…_

A kick at the back of her chair brought her out of her musings. Turning around, she fixed a glare at the person behind her. Arnold returned her stare, not blinking until she could bare it no longer and turned back around.

The school had an odd way of lining up the students for graduation. Two separate sections of seats but they still went in alphabetical order. Which meant that somehow…because the fates loved a good joke, Arnold Shortman was seated right behind her.

 _Fifteen more minutes left. Fifteen more minutes until I can get out of this gown and get the hell out of Hillwood and this ceremony. It's not like my parent's showed up, or could be bothered to show up. And yet…_ she sighed. _Oh Arnold, only fifteen more minutes before I no longer have a reason to see you every day. No more taking the long way to my classes for a change to glimpse your flaxen hair, no more eating lunch in the Commons with Phoebe just so I can be in your presence. I fear out time is short, my love. The fates conspired to give me just a little more time in your presence, close to you without ever being close. Am I destined to leave this place without ever telling you how I feel? I'm leaving next week and I fear I shall never see you again. Shall I leave this place without ever telling you how I feel? Oh cruel fate._

"You never RSVP'd for my Graduation Party, Pataki." Arnold's voice was quiet, his mouth close to her ear. She could feel her hair swaying from his breath. Her nails bit into the palms of her hands.

"Sit back Shortman," she hissed. "You're going to get us in trouble."

"Not until you say you're coming to the party." He was so close. All she had to do was turn her head. "I need to talk to you."

"We're talking now…until you get us in trouble."

"What are they going to do? We already have our diplomas."

"I hate you so much."

 **Young. Yves, Zimmerman…**

"Be spontaneous Pataki. Live a little. Say yes."

 _Be spontaneous? If I only could, my love. If only I could let go of my fear, and just reveal myself to you._

Hands slid over her shoulders and her breath hitched.

"Time's running out. All you have to do is say yes. Come on, Helga, you know you're going to show up anyway, just say yes."

 **Zinzer, Zoffard, Zuul**

 _I'm leaving next week. Five more minutes. He's right, our time is running out. Soon, you will be only a distant memory. Can I truly bear not knowing what could have been because I was too frightened?_

 **Ladies and Gentleman, I give you Hillwood High School's Class of 2011!**

"Helga…"

Her classmates stood up, throwing their caps in the air. She felt Arnold's hands leave her shoulders as he stood up and the sudden sharp pain of fear spurred her on. She stood up and spun around. Arnold hand his cap in his hand, ready to throw it up. Kicking her folding chair out of the way, she reached out and grabbed the lapels of his graduations gown and jerked him towards her. His grip tightened on his cap as he stumbled toward her. Their lips met somewhere over her overturned folding chair and around her, their classmates went from cheering their recent graduation to cheering and whistling the two of them on as Arnold's arms came around her, the corner of his cap digging into her side but she didn't care. He was kissing her back, stepping into the kiss, closer to her.

When they broke apart, because she had forgotten to breathe and was getting dizzy, Arnold just looked at her, his arms not moving from where they were wrapped around her waist. His eyes lowered to hers and a small half smile slid across his face.

"It's about damn time."


	3. One Wish

**Day three: Magic**

* * *

"If you had magic powers, what would you give yourself?"

The question came from the lady behind the counter.

Helga had volunteered to accompany Sheena to a spiritualist shop to pick up some incense and crystals. Sheena's parents were complete hippies and Sheena insisted she needed to cleanse her bedroom's aura. So, here she was, in a shop that smelled of Nag Champa and looked like a prism factory had blown up.

"I don't know; I've never thought about it." She answered honestly.

"Everyone's thought about it," the woman insisted. "Riches, fame, power, the one true love of your life."

Helga turned away from watching Sheena skim through books to look at the woman behind the counter.

"When I was younger," she began. "I went to a palm reader and begged her to make me fall out of love with ice cream."

"What does ice cream have to do with it."

"It's a metaphor, keep up. She gave me a magic potion. Which tasted like grape soda. For an entire I felt nothing. Absolutely nothing. It was the worst day of my life. I go back to the palm reader and beg her to reverse the spell. She tells me it was a fraud to begin with and that everything that happened to me that day was of my own making. So, sorry, I don't want magic powers for myself." She turned back, thoughtful. "I think, if I had magic powers, I'd find a spell to bring Arnold's parents back to him."

"You'd use your powers to help another over yourself?"

"Hey, that's the kind of giving person I am. You find everything Sheena?"

The brunette approached the counter, laden down with stones, incense and books.

"I think I found something that might be able to cleanse Eugene's aura and chase away some of the negativity."

Helga chuckled. "If you can make him less clumsy, I'll buy a crystal for my own room."

"Never underestimate the magical power of crystals, Helga."

The woman behind the counter rang up all of Sheena's purchases and bagged them up.

"Good luck in your cleansings." She slid a small box towards Helga. "For you."

"I ain't buying anything, lady."

"A gift. If anything it'll brighten up your room."

Helga took the box. "Thanks."

* * *

Helga and Sheena stopped at Slaussen's on their way back, Sheena had offered to buy Helga ice cream for going with her to the shop.

"I'm never going to turn down a free malt, but it really wasn't that big of a deal Sheena."

"Nobody likes to go with me and I couldn't dare take Eugene with me in there, I couldn't afford the damage."

Helga laughed.

"Hey guys, where did you go?"

Sheena smiled up at Arnold and Gerald as they passed their table and Helga's heart slammed against her chest.

"Helga was nice enough to go shopping with me."

"Helga Pataki? Shopping?" Gerald laughed. Helga glared at him.

"Shove it, tall hair boy."

"I think it's nice of you Helga," Arnold said, ignoring his friend who was still chuckling.

"Yeah, I'm a regular Tiny Tim. Which reminds me," She pulled out the small box and handed it to him. He took the box from her hand and opened the lid. Inside was a smooth greenish-blue stone in the shape of a teardrop.

"It's beautiful. What is it?"

"According to the lady at the story, it's a magical stone. I figured maybe your grandma would like it or something."

Arnold closed the lid and slid it into his pocket. "I'll give it to her when I get home. Thanks Helga."

"Yeah, yeah."

Sheena waited until both boys left before speaking.

"That was nice of you Helga. Amazonite is a special stone. It helps the owner find lost things."

"Whatever. It was just gonna catch dust in my room anyway."

* * *

Two days later Helga was awoken by a frantic knocking on her front door.

She stumbled down the stairs, half asleep, knowing her father was already at work and her mother was probably still passed out at the kitchen table, unless she managed to make it up the stairs.

Yawning and scratching her head, she unlocked the front door and pulled it open.

"What the…"

Arnold barreled in, knocking her off balance with a hug that threatened to take them both to the floor.

"Helga! My parents!"

Her throat clenched up, and her heart stuttered. She was terrified he was going to tell her they'd found their bodies. He was sobbing and getting her bare shoulder wet but she didn't care, didn't notice. All she noticed was Arnold was crying and clutching onto to her as if he'd never let go. Her body didn't know if it should faint in excitement or hold him in sympathy. Her arms raised to wrap around him, waiting for the next inevitable words when he pulled away, brought his hands to her face and kissed her.

"My parents!" he said again. "They're alive! Grandpa got the call early this morning. They found my parents! They're alive! And better yet, they're bringing them home!"

Helga was frozen, her brain trying to comprehend what Arnold was saying coupled with the fact that **he has just kissed her**.

"Yo…your parents?" she managed to stammer out. The look on his face was a bright as a thousand suns.

"They're going to be home in three days. Helga, my parents are coming home!"

As it all slowly sunk into her still sleep and now shock addled brain, the words of the woman in the shop slipped back into her memory.

 _You'd use your powers to help another over yourself?_

Not that she believed in magic, but standing in her front entryway at six in the morning with Arnold wrapped around her like he was never going to let go, it was easy to believe that sometimes, everyone got one wish granted.


	4. Buyer's Remorse

**Day Four: First Time**

* * *

She looked at it.

Just stood in the middle of the empty room and looked at it.

Was it too big? Maybe it was too small…no, definitely too big.

Maybe they should've shopped around more, asked more questions, researched further.

She definitely should've haggled more. Her father always told her to never take the first offer. The first offer is just a starting point; you can always do better.

She stood in the empty room wondering if she should've fought harder, not given in so easily.

Arms slid around her waist and she shivered.

"You're thinking too loudly. I can practically hear you in the kitchen."

She leaned into the strong arms holding her, resting her back against the warm chest.

"Oh yeah? What am I thinking?"

A deep chuckle vibrated against her spine, making her skin tingle.

"You're thinking that the house is too big and you should've haggled the agent down another grand or up a couple more points." His breath was hot against her ear and she shivered again.

It was creepy how he could read her mind.

"I've known you since we were three, Helga G. Pataki Shortman, I know how your mind works."

"In anyone else, I would find that damn creepy."

"I have never been just anyone else." Lips rested against her next for a moment and she twisted in his arms until she faced him.

"You don't think it's too big?"

Arnold shook his head. "We're planning on children, right? Why would we want to buy our first house only to move again when our family outgrows our house? You said it yourself, this place is perfect. There's a room with a huge picture window for your office, a big backyard, extra rooms to fill with children when the time is right. It'll be perfect."

Helga smiled, relaxing for the first time since they signed the papers and received the keys.

"How do you always know just what to say to me to make me stop freaking out?"

Another smile followed by a light brushing of his lips against hers. "I told you, I know how your mind works."

She found herself grinning. "Arnold, we did it. Our first house. We've bought our first house. Why aren't you freaking out?"

"Why would I freak out? This is everything I could've ever dreamed. Except a dog. We need a dog."

Despite herself, she laughed. "A dog? Really?"

"Yeah, to get us ready to parenthood." One hand left her waist to wave towards the back of the house. "Come on, that backyard is practically begging for a dog."

"We'll talk about it. After we get furniture and fix the house up." She laughed again, this time her laughter light. "Oh my God Arnold. We have a house! We are first time home buyers!"

He kissed her still laughing lips until she wasn't laughing anymore, more focused on kissing him back.

"I love you, Mrs. Shortman." He murmured between kisses.

'I love you too Arnold. More than you'll ever know."

"Hmmmm," His lips left hers, dropping small kisses on her cheeks, her temple, her hair. "How about we go upstairs and celebrate this new house?"

She smiled, her eyes closing at his light kisses and caresses. "First time in our new house?"

"See, I knew you had the right idea."

"Just make sure you lock our new doors first. I'd hate anyone just walking in while we're christening the new house."

Arnold leaned back, grinning. "Whatever you say, Helga."


	5. Murphy's Law Be Damned!

**Day five: Murphy's Law**

 **Full disclosure; I will probably rewrite this as a stand alone story after Shortaki Week because what started out as a "I have no idea how to write this" ended up as a "I have to stop or else this will turn into a 10K fic!" There is so much more I want to write on this so be prepared to see a more fleshed out version of this in weeks to come.**

* * *

It started with the flower girl.

The flower girl ripped her dress running around outside with the ring bearer the day before the wedding. Olga was apologetic and tried sewing it back together but not even her perfect sewing skills could save the taffeta material.

Arnold reassured her that they could find a nice dress in the same color at a store with relative ease. It was late spring, there was bound to be tons of nice pink dresses on the racks. Did the taffeta and tulle really matter that much in the grand scheme of things?

Helga, Olga and Olivia raced out that afternoon and after five hours, seven stores and stubborn tears from Olivia, the flower girl, who suddenly decided she wanted to be a mermaid at her Aunt's wedding, they found the perfect pink dress suited for a three year old mermaid flower girl and the crisis was averted. More tears came after Olga had told Olivia she wasn't allowed to wear it until the next day at the actual wedding.

* * *

The morning of the wedding the best man called to explain that the Maid of Honor had been rushed to the hospital with acute appendicitis and they'd been rear ended in the parking lot of the hospital.

"Appendicitis?" Helga almost screeched into the phone.

"Are you guys all right?" Arnold asked.

"I'm fine, a couple of scratches and bruises. The car's totaled though. I'm just thankful that jerk had insurance because I'm damn well getting another car out of this."

"Gerald, where's Phoebe? Is she okay?" Helga asked. She'd had a miniature panic attack and Arnold was been rubbing her back to calm her down while Gerald was explaining the circumstances.

"She's in surgery right now. The doctor took one look at her and they rushed her off to surgery for an emergency appendectomy."

"Criminy,"

"Sit down love, you're going to fall down. You need us to come pick you up?"

"I still have to fill out a crap ton of paperwork for her. I'm really sorry guys, and I know Phoebe felt bad too. All she kept saying on our way here was how Helga was going to kill her."

"I'm not going to kill her," Helga said weakly, now sitting on the couch. "It's not her fault her appendix decided today was the day it wanted to quit."

"I'm really sorry."

"It isn't anyone's fault, it just happened. Stay with Pheobe and tell her we'll see her later." Arnold hung up the phone and sat down next to his fiancé. "This isn't a setback. We can get through this. Do you need a paper bag?"

"Shut up football head. You're lucky you're so damn cute."

* * *

The bridesmaids arrived to the church hung over and one of the groomsmen was sporting a black eye.

"Are you freaking kidding me?" Helga all but screamed as the four women stumbled in wearing sunglasses. Rhonda winced as she fell onto one of the couches.

"Shhh…don't yell. You're too loud."

"Why is everything so bright?" Lila asked plaintively as she fell onto the couch next to Rhonda. "Maybe that last club was a bad idea."

Helga stood in the room in her slip, hands on her hips glaring at the women. "You realize that the bachelorette party is supposed to include the bride to be, right?"

"You said you didn't want to go." Nadine said as she peered out the window. "Is that…rain?"

A loud clap of thunder answered her and Helga grabbed a pillow from the chair to scream into.

* * *

The hair dresser never showed. Olga came running into the room armed with brushes, combs, hairspray and bobby pins.

"We can do this, it'll be fine!" she announced. By that time the bridesmaids were sobering up thanks to a coffee run and Rhonda was trying to tame down Sheena's hair.

"We've got us, just fix her hair." Rhonda nodded towards Helga who was sitting at the vanity, still in her slip, her head between her knees trying to take deep breaths. "If you have some wine, that might help her too."

* * *

The flowers arrived but they were lilies dyed mauve and periwinkle. Helga just sobbed.

"You're going to ruin your makeup!" Olga exclaimed, franticly grabbing Kleenex and wiping Helga's face.

"Are you sure you didn't have Eugene plan this wedding?" Sheena hiccupped. Nadine and Rhonda began giggling. Lila patted her back awkwardly.

"It'll be fine. Okay, they aren't pink but mauve is a kind of pink."

"Explain the periwinkle, Polly Sunshine." Rhonda deadpanned. Lila shook her head.

"My positivity only goes so far." She winced as Helga sniffed and blew her nose. "You want me to get Arnold?"

"The groom isn't supposed to see the bride before the wedding." Sheena insisted. "It's bad luck."

"Sheena, I think we're past bad luck at this point. It's not going to hurt anything."

"No," Helga's voice hitched. "With the way today is going, Arnold will take one look at you and suddenly realize that he's madly in love with you and you two will run away together."

Rhonda snickered as Lila looked at her bewildered. "Okay…I'm not sure Kelly will be on board with that."

* * *

The final straw was the three tier angel food cake with the orange zest white chocolate fondant icing actually arrived as a one layer sheet cake of strawberry sponge cake with yellow icing only to be turned away at the reception hall who'd lost the reservation and had accidentally double booked the venue for that day.

The knock came on the door as Olga was finishing Helga's makeup.

"There's been a snafu." Arnold's voice came from the hallway. Helga dropped her head on the vanity counter and screamed again.

"Sorry," Nadine said cheerily. "We've exceeded our limit of snafus today. Come back tomorrow."

"What happened?" Rhonda joined Nadine at the partially opened door.

"The cake is a strawberry sheet cake."

Rhythmic thumping could be heard inside the room.

"Baby sister, you're going to get a bruise if you keep that up."

Arnold pushed on the door. "Let me in."

"You can't!" Sheena insisted.

"We're past that!" Rhonda said.

"No! He'll fall madly in love with Lila and they'll run away."

"I'm done." Nadine threw her hands up and let go of the door. Arnold stepped into the room, shutting the door behind him.

"I don't think Kelly would be too pleased with that. But I promise to try to control myself." He chanced a look at Lila and shrugged. "Nope. Sorry Lila, I don't like you like you like that."

Lila was laughing too hard to answer.

Arnold watched Helga thump her head once again on the table and looked back at the five women. "Ladies, I'm going to ask you all to give me five minutes alone with my fiancé, please."

"Oh Arnold, you're going to need more than that to get her calmed down." Rhonda teased as they filed out of the room. The door closed and they were alone.

He knelt down beside the chair and slid his hand in between her head and the vanity table.

"Look at me."

She tilted her head a little to the left to look at him, eyes red from crying, mascara running, nose red.

"Sit up." He pulled her up and slid his hands into hers. She started crying again.

"It's horrible!" she sobbed. "All I wanted was a nice wedding, with everyone I love here to see us exchange vows and it's all ruined. Everything that could go wrong has. This is turning out to be the worst day ever!"

"Is all of this important to you? The cake and the venue? The flowers, the dresses, the pomp?"

"It's our wedding day, Arnold. I've been dreaming about this day for years!"

"You've been dreaming about our wedding day? Or being married?"

"Well doi, I…" she went silent, her tears drying up. Sniffing once more, she pulled one of her hands from his to pick up a Kleenex and wipe her face.

"All I've ever wanted was to be married to you."

He smiled. "Then let's get married. The colors, the dresses, the cake, none of that matters. All that matters is that you and I promise to love, honor and cherish for better or for worse, till death do us part. All we need is someone ordained to sign the certificate, the rest is incidental."

She cocked her head. "You don't want a big wedding? Then why did you go along with it?"

"Because you wanted it. And I love you. I'm perfectly happy getting married in the courthouse, so long as we get married today. And right now, there is a perfectly good preacher out there waiting to do just that."

She allowed herself to be pulled up by him.

"Get your dress on, let Olga fix your face and let's…"

They stared at the white dress hanging up on the hook waiting to be worn. The white dress with the huge iron burn in the side of the bodice.

"Okay…new plan."

* * *

Arnold raced down the aisle, missing his tux jacket and his shirt sleeves rolled up.

"Missing some things aren't you Shortman?" Phil asked.

"Nope. Grandma, did you…"

Gertie held out his blue cap and he grinned, kissing her cheek.

"I love you Grandma."

"It wouldn't be right getting married without it." She said.

"Arnold, what's going on?" Miles asked as Arnold took his place.

"We've got this under control." He said as the music started. The rag tag bunch of bridesmaids and groomsmen came in, followed by the flower girl in her mermaid pink sparkle dress throwing lily petals all over the place.

Olga followed up, wearing a pale pink sundress she'd found in her closet in a pinch.

The wedding march started and everyone stood up. Helga stood at the end of the aisle, wearing a pink and white sundress with white heels, her hair pulled back in an elaborate bun. On top of her head was a pink ribbon.

As she walked down the aisle, he put on his hat. Around him he could hear the whispered questions.

 _Where was her dress?_

 _What happened to groomsmen number two?_

 _Where were the Best Man and the Maid of Honor?_

None of these things mattered as he watched her approach. She took her place next to him and he grinned.

The Preacher simply shook his head and opened his book.

"Dearly Beloved. We are gathered here today…"

As the official spoke, Arnold leaned towards his very soon to be Bride.

"I like your bow." He whispered. "It's pink like your dress."

She actually grinned, her face lighting up like he imagined it did the very first time he said those words to her so many decades ago. How did he know that nine little words would shape the rest of his life and bring him the one thing he wanted most in the world?

"I was wrong," she whispered back. He tilted his head slightly in question.

"Back in the dressing room? I was wrong. This is the best day ever."


	6. Home

**Day Six: Travelling**

 **It was supposed to be Carpe Diem but the bunnies had other ideas. Also, I'm sorry, I am so so sorry.**

* * *

She stood silently in the early morning on a piece of concrete that seemed to go on forever.

Her presence was requested. Why her, she didn't know.

A safe distance away she watched five men pull a box from a plane.

Her entire life had been dedicated to unfeeling, stoic, never let them see you sweat attitude.

It wouldn't stop now.

The men carried the box towards her, with the one in the lead the only to approach her.

"Miss Helga Pataki?"

"Yes,"

"Sign please?"

Her signature went on the board and a large envelope was given to her.

"We're very sorry for your loss."

She didn't move.

Only when the men left did she dare look at the nondescript box in front of her.

Damn Peace Corps.

Motioning behind her, four men appeared with a push cart to take the box and deliver it to Hillwood.

She approached the box only after it'd been placed on the cart. Her hand touched the wood, lightly running over the surface.

"Welcome home, Football head," she said softly.

Hillwood's chosen son had finally come home.


	7. Letters

**Day seven: Secrets**

* * *

I have a secret.

One that, if discovered, would probably not end well for several people involved. At least, for the moment. The future…is uncertain.

I have all the letters that Helga Pataki wrote me. All three hundred and fifty-three…that I know of.

I thought she never wrote me. That she'd forgotten about me once I decided to remain in San Lorenzo with my parents.

Truth be told, I was hurt. We shared something special in the jungles, or at least I thought we had shared something. That, after everything that happened here between us, I expected her to at least write. I expected…something.

I didn't know what to expect actually, but I never expected her NOT to write me.

I'd given up.

I had been here almost fifteen months when a box showed up at one of our mail stops. We hadn't been to that particular mail stop in weeks so I actually have no idea when the box came. Only that it did.

The inside was full of envelopes. Hundreds of envelopes addressed and stamped.

To me.

On top of all the envelopes was a folded letter.

 **I'm not sure if this is still your address.**

 **I was cleaning Helga's room and found this box.**

 **She must have forgotten to send them.**

 **Sorry for the delay.**

 **M. Pataki**

She had written me every day. Written, addressed, and even stamped envelopes. But never sent them.

Letters-

Talking about her day. About events around town. About things that happened at school. But mostly about me. Or rather how she felt about me.

Each letter had pages-none less than three full pages' front and back. The most was a fourteen-page letter, front and back.

Things she never meant for me to know.

Through these letters I discovered the real Helga G. Pataki. The one I knew all along was inside her. The real Helga she never let anyone see. It was terrifying and exhilarating.

For anyone else, this amount of raw honesty would've scared them away, made them thankful that they were on another continent.

For me…I'm intrigued. I love this version of Helga nobody has ever seen. It's like a secret only she and I share now.

Her mother accidentally sent me something I never should have seen.

It's a gift.

Now I'm counting down the days until we return to the States.

I need to talk to her.

I need her to understand.

She haunts my dreams- our reunion haunts my dreams.

Only two hundred and three days left.

Until then, I can only continue writing her to make her remember that I'm still here.

That I feel the same way.


	8. Her Eyes

**For the final day, I decided on a drabble.**

 **Day 8: Eyes**

* * *

I never noticed.

My parent's eyes are blue. My grandparent's eyes are blue and brown.

Mine are green.

Because, probably, my birth and the circumstances surrounding it.

It's hard not to be superstitious.

Not to believe in things like fate and destiny when you're acknowledged as the second coming of an ancient god.

Her eyes.

Azure. The color of the ocean waters; calm, blue, with a hint of the power that lies just beneath the surface.

I could stare into those eyes forever.

"What are you looking at, football head?"

Or until she catches me.

I smile.

Maybe one day.


End file.
